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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28187961">We Haunt Ourselves</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ageofgeek/pseuds/ageofgeek'>ageofgeek</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(but they're ghosts...so...), (it's mostly implied - you can ignore it if you want!), Anakin Skywalker Loves Obi-Wan Kenobi, Canonical Character Death, Force Ghost Anakin Skywalker, Force Ghost Obi-Wan Kenobi, Force Ghost(s), Forgiveness, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mentioned Luke Skywalker, Minor Obi-Wan Kenobi/Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi Loves Anakin Skywalker, Post-Battle of Endor (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Redemption</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:48:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>511</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28187961</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ageofgeek/pseuds/ageofgeek</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Two men stood on the edge of a jungle clearing: one was life, the other was death."</p><p>-</p><p>Anakin reunites with his master after death.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Obi-Wan Kenobi &amp; Anakin Skywalker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>53</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>We Haunt Ourselves</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>If I have to cry every time at the end of ROTJ, then so do you guys (and so does Anakin).  Sorry this fic is so short, but I think the length is appropriate.</p><p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Two men stood on the edge of a jungle clearing: one was life, the other was death.  Invisible to the eyes of most mortals, they watched the flames of a funeral pyre climb high into the sky and vanish into the night.  Their journey had begun with a pyre, and now, their journey had ended with one.</p><p>Anakin (because he <em>was</em> Anakin now) glanced over at his companion.  As the flames flickered against his faintly glowing form, the aged wrinkles on Obi-Wan’s face melted away, and coppery red swept over his hair.  Slowly, the fire revealed the man that Anakin had known and loved for most of his life.</p><p>Obi-Wan turned and met his gaze evenly, and an unrelenting shame filled Anakin, making his stomach churn and his chest tighten.  He wanted to flinch away, to fade away into nothingness, just so he wouldn’t have to face this open wound.</p><p>“It’s a beautiful night,” Obi-Wan murmured.  His pale eyes were firm but kind – Anakin felt consumed by them, like the other man could see into his very soul.</p><p>“Yes,” he responded hesitantly, looking away.  “They deserve to enjoy it.”</p><p>Wind swept through the jungle, and the sounds of the rebels’ celebration travelled with it.  With relief and pride shared between them, Anakin and Obi-Wan watched Luke let go of his past and reunite with his friends in the land of the living.</p><p>“They do,” Obi-Wan said.  “It has been a long war.  It will be an even longer recovery.  But they will find their peace.”</p><p>He glanced meaningfully at Anakin, and Anakin flinched.</p><p>“Master, I—“</p><p>“What do you want, Anakin?”</p><p>Obi-Wan’s soft interruption stopped Anakin in his tracks.  He…he hadn’t been asked what he wanted in a long time.  He had been told what to do, how to think, who to kill, but nobody (especially not Sidious) had asked him what he wanted.</p><p>Only Obi-Wan and Padmé had ever been so kind.</p><p>“I…I don’t know,” Anakin whispered, tears welling up in his eyes.  He looked up at the night sky to prevent them from falling.  The stars glimmered above him, as they had on Tatooine thirty years ago – the constellations were different, but the light was the same.</p><p>Anakin felt a soft, familiar hand cup his cheek, and he leaned into the touch desperately.  Since Mustafar – since the Fall – only Luke had gotten close enough to touch him.  The contact made him feel lightheaded with joy and relief.</p><p>“Yes you do,” Obi-Wan murmured, gently tipping Anakin’s face up to meet his.  Anakin’s breath hitched at the encouraging gaze he saw there.</p><p>“I want peace,” he finally stuttered out.  “I’m so sorry, I know I don’t deserve it, I—”</p><p>“That is not for you to decide,” Obi-Wan corrected kindly.  With a smile, he slowly embraced his partner.  “The Force has forgiven you, Anakin.  <em>I </em>have forgiven you.  It’s time for you to forgive yourself.”</p><p>Two men stood in a clearing.  Encircled in the Light and in the warmth of Obi-Wan’s arms, Anakin finally let go of his fears and wept.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I've always wanted to write a post-ROTJ force ghost fic - specifically about Anakin, because that time of Anakin's life/character has always fascinated me.  It's one of the few times in Anakin's life that we don't explicitly or implicitly see in canon, other than this brief ghost scene at the end of ROTJ, and a few additional Legends materials.  I've already started a longer, post-ROTJ force ghost fic - centered around Anakin and his journey back to the light - but I have no idea when it'll be posted (stay tuned?).</p><p>I really enjoyed writing this little piece - I felt like this dialogue flowed out of me, it was actually so easy to write (less easy to edit, haha).  Also, if any of you get the reference to "one was life, the other was death," you are my favorite type of person.</p><p>Big shout-out to the Obikin discord for being an amazing, friendly community and inspiring me to write SW fic for the first time in my life!  Special shout-out to Tag (<a href="https://himboskywalker.tumblr.com/">himboskywalker</a>), as well as Poke, Ania, Sarah, and Mid for providing valuable feedback and a way for me to socialize during the pandemic!</p><p>Thank you all for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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